Time-burning railway signal-fusee.



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TIME-QURNING miLwAY SIGNAL-Fuses.

ToaZZ'wkom z'tme-y'concem; V

Be it known that I, LOUIS S. Rose, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newtonyille, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an' Improvement in Time-Burning Railway Signal-Fusees, of which thefollowing depoundfor such purpose that will not sponscription is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in time burn ng railway signal fusees, the primary object thereof being to produce a comtaneouslyignite under conditions towhich said railway fusees are necessarily subjected,

that will not be extinguished when thrown from a rhoving train or otherwise subjected to severe shock, and that will burn'with distinctive brilliancy "Without, however, burn-. ing with a flame too, nearly approaching incandflsfience.

In inos't compositionsfor railway signal I fusees produced prior to my invention, therehave been certain recognized characteristics uf the ingredients contained in the fusees that render. the latter extremely susceptible to spontaneous ignition, particularly in the presence of heator moisture or both.

' usees' These regulations inust roads require that the finished ,iiesee Therailways of the United States fora number of yearspast have maintained a bureaufor the safe transportation of explosives and other dangerous articles. This bureau employs chemists to investigate ques tions relating to themanufacture of explosives and other dangerous articles, am "from time to time makes regulations and specifications prescribing the inherent. acteristics of tiine burning railway sig a1 be passed upon and approved by, the Interstate Co nnierce Commission to render them legaliy binding and cit re; In accordance with" the requiremen e of the saidbureau, railway signal. fusees cpiinprise papertube heavy, tough fiber, in which the composition. is

' packed, carrying at one end a spike adapted topenetrat the railroad ties or bed and having at its v opposite end means for igniting the fuses Railway signal'tusees are usually thrown. from-the rear ofa moving train and are necessarily therefore subjected to rough usage. It-is therefore necessary to havethe paper tube of sufiicient strength to. withstand thisv usage" without breakage. Thesefusee paper tubes are therefore madeof heavy, tough fiber as stated, and the rail- Specification of Letters Patent. l

. I Application filed February 15, 1912. Serial No.'677,853.

. length of time.

Patented May 7, 1912;

stand a relatively'heavy specified Weight at its center when supported at its ends. One of the tests of the said bureau is that the fuses after burninga nuinber'of seconds in. air must burn a specified length of time when conipletely submerged in water. It is further required by the said bureau that the fuses must burn" a predetermined specified It must burn with brilliancy and force offlaine and it must burn under either favorable or unfavorable weather conditions. In other Words, the railway signal fusee must burn in strong winds or storms or even in pools of Water or snowba'nks. a

By reason of the necessity of burning the tube in uniformity with the burning of the composition and also of thenecessity that the composition burn with force and bribliancy, all successful compositions-for rail.- way signal fusees heretofore-employed have contained sulfur and-potassium chlorate as fundamental ingredients, with the single eX-- ception that a perchlorate, preferably perchlorate j-of- I potassium, has been substituted for the chlorate in a composition containing sulfur.

- For many years it has been known that time burningrailway signal fuseescontain- 111g sulfur and potassium chlorate as here tofore combined were sub3ect to spontaneous ignition and combustion due to climatic coir ditions of heat and moisture, because of the presence ofsaid ingredients in the composi tion, and attempts have been made for many years by railway chemists and others to overcome this, serious defect. Such spontaneous ignition has been attributed to production by sulfur in the presence of heator moisture of sulfurous'fand sulfuric acids, which in thepresenceof potassium chlorate decompose the latter and generate ehlorin peronid. from sulfur requires the presence of oxygen, which is readily obtained inthc breaking up of the potassium chlorate, whereby heat is generated, accelerating and helping to'continue the reaction until a condition is reached that produces spontaneous combustion. I

The so-called chlorate time burning railway signal fuse' is eomposed of chlorate, sulfur, carbohydrate and :metallic nitrate in'suitable proportions.- in order to overcome thatendenoy to spontaneous ignition fuses, the s o chi,

The formation of sulfuric acid perchlorate, such as perchlorate of potasslum, is recognized to be harder a; ignite and more easlly extmguished when thrown from a moving train than a fusee of the 50- called chlorate type. The so called perchlorate fusee, in spite of this objection, is used because of its substantial treedou'i from spontaneous ignition.

Becauseof the objections to the perchlorate fusee, I have conducted a long series of experiments and tests under commercial conditions to produce a time burning railway signal tusee not subject to spontaneous ignition and combustion and from which the perchlorate is eliminated, but containing sulfur, because of its known advantages, and also containingchlorate of barium, because of my discovery of the peculiar advantages of the latter substance, to be fully set forth hereinafter, such fusee also preferably containing a suitable carbohydrate or carbonaceous material and a suitable metal; lie salt and preferably ametallic nitrate. I

have succeeded as a result of said experiments and tests in producing a barium chlorate fusee which possesses all the advantages of the so-called chlorate fusee and which burns with distinctive brilliancy, with either a red, a yellow or a green flame, and is not subject to spontaneous ignition. In other words, I have succeeded in producing a fusee possessing many advantages both-of the chlorate and of the perchlorate fusee.

In accordance 'ith i'uy invention, I preterably provide as customary in the so-called chlorate fusee, a suitable mixture of sulfur, a carbohydrate or carbonaceous material, a metallic salt (preferably a metallicnitrate) and chlorate of barium. The sulfur is employed mainly to increase combustion and to cause the burning of the tube evenly with the composition;'the carbohydrate'or carboaceous material furnishes carbon and hydrogen to aid combustion andfto smooth and deepen the"tlame; the metallic salt, preterably of strontium, barium or sodium constitutes the base or maincoloring ingredient;

and the chlorate of barium not only is used to furnish the principal supply of oxygen, butis used in :order to obtain a more distinctive brilliancy of the flame, whether it burn red, yellow or green.

The barium chlorate when combined with the barium nitrate, both of which ingredicuts when burning give a green flame, produce an exceedingly clear and distinctive and brilliant green flame. In other words, by using barium chlorate in connection with barium nitrate, I gain two advantages; first, I supplement the barium nitrate by another barium salt; and second, I avoid the possibility of tinting the barium flame with the red of the potassium flame and obtain a more intense and clearer green. But whether the barium chlorate be combined with a str'on tium, barium or sodium nitrate or other metallic salt, it will cause more distinctive brilliancy of the resulting flame. The barium chlorate produces a flame which gives a whitish or silvery appearance; the barium chlorate when combined with the sodium nitrate gives a silvery yellowrather than a golden yellow; and the barium chlorate when combined with the strontium nitrate gives a more brilliant red than is obtained by a combination of strontium nitrate and chlorate of potassium. If too great a quantity of barium chlorate be employed, ,there would be produced a flame nearly or wholly white, but by regulating the amount of. ba rium chlorate, I'thercby obtain more di tinctive red, green or yellow flames. In other words, the barium chlorate constitutes an ingredient by the proper regulation of which with other flame-coloring salts I am enabled to obtain distinctively brilliant red, 'yellow' or green flames, which do not verge into each other, as is the case particularly with the red and yellow in certain types of.

fusees'. Certain fusees are made to burn'in two or'three colors, as, for example, red and yellow, orred, yellow and green, and it is important in such case that these colors be clearly distinctive and not verge the one into the other, as may be the case with certain shades of red and yellow or incandescent red and silvery green as heretofore produced.

The proportions of the ingredients previously referred to as preferably employed. in the manufacture of the barium chlorate fusee are preterably as follows :-Barium chlorate 13 to about 19 parts, sultunlt) to 16 parts,

carbohydrate or carbonaceous material 5 to 10 parts, metallic salt or nitrate (strontium,

barium or sodium) 65 to72 parts. To these ingredients I preferably add in accordance with my invention, preferably in a powdered condition, a small quantity of an acidneutralizing agent capable of neutralizing any acid developed during storage of the :tusee. I have obtained excellent results by using aicarbonate and. preferably calcium carbonate. Preferably the carbonate constitutes about two parts or per cent. of the entire mixture, and should not. for best results constitute more than four or five per cent. of the entire composition, as in greater quantities it tends to retard or may materially or wholly prevent combustion. i

cut is added mechanically to theother ingredients of the composition at any st'agein the mixing thereof, or may beadded tothe other ingredients after they have been as sembled or mixed. Although preferablyI .may add calcium carbonate as an acid-neutrali'zing agent, may in certain cases em- This ingrediploy other ingredients, as, for example, potassium carbonatepsodlum carbonate, sodium' silicate, barium peroxid, calcium hydroxid' or air slaked lime. I have, however, ob-' tained the best results .by employing a car bonate.

l Instead of employing both a metallic nitrate and an acid-neutralizing agent, su'ch as calcium carbonate, I may provide some ingredient or agent takingthe place 'both of such acid neutralizing agent and metallic nitrate. I have in certain cases found that by employing a metallic salt, a'metallic oxid sees constructed in or metallic'perox'id, I may overcome the danger of spontaneous ignition] I have in certain cases obtained excellent results by employing barium peroxid or strontium peroxid instead of calcium carbonate and also instead of metallic nitrate. The metallic salt employed by me may be a nitrate, peroxid, oxid, or carbonate of barium, sodium or strontium. p f a Inasmuch as the spontaneous ignition and combustion of railway fusees do not occur immediately upon manufacture thereof but usually only after an extended period of time, ranging in length from ten to twenty months after manufacture," I have conducted a long series-of tests under commercial conditions and have found as a result thereof that the calcium carbonate or certain other agents incorporated in a railway signal fusee in accordan-cewith my invention, neutralizc any acid occasioned by the presence of sulfur and chlorate in the co-called chlorate fusee, andthus wholly prevents spontaneous ignition. Time burning railway signal fuaccordance with'm'y invention have been tested by subjecting them to a temperature of boiling water in the prese-nceof moisture for forty-eight hours,

andxhave successfully stood said test and have also been successfully used under commercial'conditions after a sufficient period of time following manufacture indisputably to establish the fact that the railway fusee constituting my invention, having an acidneutralizing agent incorporated therein, is

net subject to spontaneous ignitionand combustion. The time burningrailwaysignal fusee made in accordance with myinvention combines many advantagesof the chlorate 'fusee and of the perchlorate fusee Without the disadvantages of either. p

1 'Thecarbonaceous-material employed by me is preferably composed ofrosin, charcoal and sawdust and grease, although in certain cases I may employred gum instead of rosin, The proportions of these in redients cmay be variedwithin the scope o my infyention, but are preferably substantially as followin -:Rosin leto 3%, charcoal l to 3%, saw ust and grease 3'to 4 972. During my said tests and experiments encountered great difiiculty arriving at the proper quantity of calcium carbonate or agent to be combined other acid-neutralizin with the other ingre ients and particularly with the sulfur and chlorate of barium fully to neutralize any acid as hereinbeforeset forth, and therefore fully to prevent spontaneous ignition and combustion, while at the v ,sametime securing the even burning of the.

composition and the tube.- In other words, 1

my said tests and experiments seemed to show that while the addition preferably of calcium carbonate tended to prevent sponta neousiignition due to the presence of sulfur and chlorate of bariuin, .yet when added in quantity then considered necessary fully to :-prevent the same, the calcium carbonate not only retarded combustion but also caused 'chimneying of -the tube. I have, however, finally succeeded in addingfor supplying a 'suflici'ent quantity ofcalcium or other suitablecarbonate or acid neutralizing a cut to. v

a composition containing sulfur an chlorate .of barium fully to prevent spontaneous ignition or combustion while at the same time securing'substantially perfect and unretarded combustion of the. fusee and pre venting chimneying. I

I have discovered that: under identical conditions by using calcium-or other suitable carbonate, and in certain cases by using other acid-neutralizing agents, I can safely var} the proportions of the other ingredients through, a. wider range, and yet secure a thoroughly effective and commercially satisfactbry fusee, than is possible when the calcium or other carbonate or other acid-neutralizing agent is not used. Thus, by employing calcium carbonate or certain other agents, it is possible for me to make a commercially satisfactory and thoroughly efiicient fuseemore cheaply than heretofore. In other words, the calcium carbonate ipreferably em-= played: constitutes the element of safety, the presence of which permits greater variation than heretofore in the other ingredients;

Preferably, when I add or supply calcium or other carbonate or other acid-neutralizing agent, which is a combustion retarder, I add a slightly and. generally a correspondingly increased amount of combustion producing ingredients, that is, sulfur and chlorate of barium, over that employed under identical conditions of manufacture but without the addition of calcium or other carbonate; v i I have herein employed the term Fearbohydrate. in a broad and generic sense, and have employed the term carbonaceousimaterial? to include carbohydrates or hylirocarbons, whetherusing the latter, term narrowly 'orbroadly, and rosin charcoal, sawdust, grease,'etc.-

It will-be understood from the foregoing description that a fire works pes isn v r i y eeelse ves. bari m brilliancy and force of 'izing agent, such as fur,

chlorate,v burns with distinctive brilliancy, and that when I add. thereto an acid-neutralcalcium carbonate, I prevent all danger of spontaneous ignition.

Having thus described one embodiment of my invention, and the best mariner known to me for carrying the same into efiect, I desire it to be understood that the scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.

Claims: l

1. A. time burning railway signal fusee comprising essentially a flame-coloring metallic salt, sulfur, carbonaceous material, chlorate of barium and an acid-neutralizing agent.

2. A time burning railway signal fuse-e comprising essentially a flame-coloring r ctallic salt, sulfur, chlorate ofbarium and an acid-neutralizing agent.

' 3. A time burning railway signal fusee comprising-essentially a metallic nitrate, sul a carbol'iydrate, chlorate of barium and an ingredient mixed therewith and capable of neutralizing any acid developed during storage, said fusee compound burning with flame for the purpose described and not subject to spontaneous combustion.

4. A time burning railway signalfusee comprising essentially barium nitrate, sulfur, a carbohydrate, chlorate of barium, and an ingredient mixed therewith and capable of neutralizing any acid developed during storage, said fuses compound burning with brilliancy and force of flame for the purpose described and not subject to spontaneous combustion.

5. A time burning-railwaysignal fusee compound comprising essentially a metallic nitrate,'sulfur, a carbohydrate, chlorate of barium and an acid-neutralizing agent in less proportion than the sulfur and insufficient in quantity materially to retard combustion.

6. A time burning railway 'signal'fusee comprising essentially barium nitrate, sul- 1 fur, a carbohydrate, chlorate of barium, and an acid-neutralizing agent in less proportion than the sulfur and insufficient in quantity materially to retard combustion.

7. A time burning railway signal fusee comprising essentially a metallic nit-rate, sulfur, a carbohydrate,3 .chl0rate of barium and carbonate in less proportion than the sulfur and insutlicient in quantity materially to re tard combustion.

8. Atime burnin rs comprisingessentially t rum ate, sulfur, a carbohydrate, chlorate oft barium and carbonatein less proportion than the sulfur and insufficient in quantity materially to re' tard combustion.

' 9. A time burning railway signal fusee comprising essentially a metallic nitrate, sul fur, a carbonaceous material, barium chlow iy 5i" i fusee rate, and an acid-neutralizingagent in lessv proportion than the sulfur and insufficient in quantity materially to retard combustion.

10. A time burning railway signal fusee comprising essentially barium nitrate, sulfur, a carbonaceous material, barium chlorate, and an acid-neutralizing agent in less proportionthan the sulfur and insuflicient in quantity materially to retard combust on.

11. A time burning railway signal .588

= comprising essentially a metallic nitrate. sulfur, barium chlorate, and an acid-neutratizing agent in less'proportion than the sqltur and insufficient in quantity materialiy to retard combustion.

12. A time burning railway signal fusee comprising essentially barium nitrate, sulfur, barium chlorate, and an acid-neutralizing agent in less proportion than the sulfur and .insufiicient in quantity materially to retard combustion.

In testimony whereof, I have'signed my name to this specification, 1n the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

. LOUIS S. ROSS. Vitnesses:

ROBERT H. JKAMMLER, F. IRENE CHANDLER. 

